there's a claw machine near our house that is filled with huge, heavy brass statues. we've put a lot of money into that machine, knowing that the likelihood of winning something is slim to none. but on one amazing night, i grabbed this beautiful brass bull on my first try. didn't know why its tail wagged up and down, until a flame appeared on its back on the 15th click.

200 won (20 cents) got me the biggest, strangest, heaviest, coolest lighter i have ever seen.

this is the 2nd best claw machine win in korea. zachary won a live lobster when we first got here. nothing can ever top that.

our friend, joel, visited from minneapolis! he left today. miss him already...

temple near our home. 

rows and rows of fake candles.

hiding in bushes and hanging with buddhas.

closing time.

not a science lab. more like a coffee shop.

we said we wanted coffee, and tomasz said he knew the place. he was right.

dutch brewed coffee. (cold brewed).

it takes about 8 hours for 1 pitcher to brew.

two cups was more than enough.

(photo of joel was pre-coffee. can't show the post photos. we were hurtin').

joel was really feeling nabi.

well, aren't you relaxed...

we took a mini trip to busan. we stayed with our friends, emily and jordan, who live in a spacious studio with lots of windows, an area for a bumpin' dance party, and absolutely no seafoam green in sight. basically, imagine our apartment and think the complete opposite.

emily and jordan leave the end of this month to head back to colorado, which is too bad for us. we would've like have spent more time with them in korea. when you're far from home...from family and close friends, from all that is familiar...you definitely appreciate meeting good people.  but, that's how teaching in korea works. you find yourself saying hello and soon after, having to say good-bye. 

highlights in this port city included: (1) eating wiggly octopi that hung onto our tongues and continued to wiggle before, while, and after, chewing them, (2) shooting off fireworks on the beach and (3) hiking along the coast, relaxing on the rocks and watching a little fisherman quickly walk (not climb) up a steep cliff without hesitation. (i didn't eat a corndog, but that quite easily could've been highlight #4).

as usual, pictures will be posted little by little...

this is the exact spot where i thought...i could live in busan.

we could've sat here for hours, but we had a train to catch. 

a sweet little spot. will visit again someday.

my man loves to skip them rocks.

the amazing fisherman. he sprinted right up that cliff.